Prior to becoming a City and County, Broomfield Police officers were required to process an arrestee at the Department's holding facility, then transport them to one of four county jails (Adams, Boulder, Jefferson, or Weld), with the Weld County Jail being 56 miles away. This resulted in an inefficient use of time, money, and resources.

In November 1998, statewide voter approval of Amendment C allowing the City of Broomfield to become Colorado's 64th county started the long process to build a Detention Center that would serve the needs of the Broomfield community for many years. Overall goals included incorporating current technology, utilizing the best operational plans available, and recruiting the best people available to make it all happen.

The result was the Broomfield Police Department Detention Center & Training Facility, located at 11600 Ridge Parkway in southwest Broomfield. When the doors opened on November 15, 2001, it was a 53,075 square foot facility designed to house 80 inmates. In 2010, the facility was expanded to 79,325 square feet, with an inmate capacity of 218.

The Detention Center's first year of operation resulted in 1,900 arrestees being processed through the facility. With the new Detention Center being within the City and County of Broomfield, arresting officers were able to stay within their own jurisdiction; continuously able to serve Broomfield citizens.

The Detention Center has enjoyed national recognition for its design and operational philosophy. Jail transition teams from throughout the country have visited the facility through the National Institute of Corrections' Planning of New Institutions Workshops to learn what they can from Broomfield's experience.

Community Involvement & Aesthetics

From the planning stages, Broomfield and surrounding neighborhoods worked together collaboratively to establish certain goals that would lessen the impact of a Detention Center near their community. Through multiple "town meetings" and a good deal of compromising, the various groups were able to accomplish their goals. For example, the facility was designed and built so that portions of the building visible to the public would resemble an office building found in any typical business park. There are no bars on the windows, chain link fences, or barbed wire. Official vehicles are parked behind the facility, away from the public's view.

Inmates and their housing areas cannot be seen from the surrounding area due to earthen berms that surround the facility. Inmates do not participate in outside recreational activities, and are only allowed outside with an officer escort.

If a released arrestee/inmate does not have someone to drive them away from the facility, an officer will drive them back to the location of their arrest (if appropriate) or to the local RTD Park N Ride, or the RTD Call N Ride will respond to the Detention Center to transport the former arrestee/inmate to their desired location. Released arrestees/inmates are never allowed to walk off facility property without having arranged transportation. This policy decision was made in response to citizens' concerns about released arrestees/inmates wandering around in their communities.

Maintaining a strong relationship with the community is important to Broomfield and the Police Department. Since opening, the facility has conducted hundreds of tours to local agencies and citizen groups. The facility pays special attention to youth groups as well as middle and high school students. Striving to make a positive impact on Broomfield's youth is a priority for Broomfield officials.

Additionally, the facility has hosted site visits for hundreds of detention center transition teams from jurisdictions throughout the country through our partnerships with various jail consultants and the National Institute of Corrections and their Planning of New Institutions Workshops that are held at their training center in Longmont, Colorado twice a year.

Technology

Technology has taken center stage within the Detention Center. The use of computer systems to enhance the operational capabilities of the facility is an ever-present goal. Utilizing the latest in jail management software, officers are able to process an arrestee in half the time of their peers in other organizations. Digital photography, electronic file sharing, laser fingerprint systems, biometric security, digitally recorded CCTV systems, touch screen computers, electronic phone systems, video court, inmate visitation via CCTV, and computer aided dispatch/communication keep the facility on the cutting edge of police detention operations. The facility incorporates dozens of computer terminals linked via a facility network and web-based applications. This enables users the ability to access multiple programs simultaneously and without delay. This has created a more efficient and transparent work product for both staff and citizens.

The Detention Center lobby kiosk enables friends and family to easily deposit cash or make cash advances from a credit/debit card into an inmate's account so they have money to purchase commissary items. There's also a link to the Internet for depositing funds from a credit/debit card for the same purpose. This makes it extremely easy for loved ones to support an inmate from wherever they might be.

There's a similar kiosk in the pre-booking room the officers use to deposit an arrestee's cash directly into their inmate account. This technology is very precise and limits cash handling by the officers, which makes the booking process more efficient.

The Internet is also used for remotely scheduling inmate visits. To do so, click here and then click on the box similar to the one shown here, and then follow the directions.

The Detention Center's Control Room is truly state of the art, with multiple CCTV monitors, touch screen security electronics system, multiple computers and direct line of sight into several housing areas.

Booking

The Detention Center utilizes the latest in operational philosophies to the treatment of arrestees/inmates. From the arrest, to the transportation, to the booking, to the housing, to the release of an arrestee/inmate, the entire facility is designed for maximum safety for both staff and arrestees/inmates. The facility's operational philosophy is the Direct Supervision Model. Arrestees are introduced to this philosophy when they first enter the facility.

Cooperative inmates are allowed to sit in a waiting area where they can watch television, make collect telephone calls, and talk with other arrestees and staff. Amenities such as a private bathroom, carpeted floors, padded seats, television, and telephones serve to calm and reassure the arrestee that they are safe and will be treated with respect.

Less cooperative arrestees are placed in a more secure setting based on their behavior. The most disruptive and combative arrestees are placed in a restraint chair and put in a holding cell that's equipped with no more than a flushable floor drain. Intoxicated arrestees might be placed in a holding cell containing a sink, toilet and ground level bunk to sleep on. Others may be placed in a cell containing a bench, toilet and sink while they wait for their booking process to be completed. As their behavior improves, arrestees are eventually moved into the waiting area for the completion of the booking process.

Intake

All inmates housed within the facility are initially placed in the intake area for a minimum of 48 hours. This allows staff the opportunity to observe the inmate and identify any negative or harmful behavior. Keeping in line with the Detention Center's philosophy of allowing the inmates to set the tone with regard to their interaction, officers are encouraged to interact with the inmates on a daily basis. Inmates capable of acceptable interaction with other inmates and staff are then transferred to the general housing areas as decided by the facility's Classification Committee.

Special Management

Inmates that cannot get along with others, who are on disciplinary lockdown, or who must be kept separate from others through no fault of their own are housed in the Special Management Unit. Inmates housed in SMU are allowed out of their cells for only 1 - 5 hours per day and may be denied certain privileges, such as telephone and commissary.

General Population

General population housing has a much softer feel than other housing areas. The cells have butcher block desktops, oak doors and porcelain bathroom fixtures. The open dayroom is equipped with television, microwave, hot water, collect telephones and a sink. The Men's Pod also boasts a ping-pong table and access to the adjacent gymnasium. Inmates are allowed to be in the dayroom interacting with other inmates and staff from 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. (except for scheduled lockdown times).

Utilizing the Direct Supervision philosophy, officers are required to be in the housing area whenever inmates are in the dayroom. Officers interact with the inmates and solve problems before they threaten the safety and security of the facility. Programs like recreation, non-denominational church services, television, and reading materials create an environment in which the inmates can busy themselves with positive influences, rather than focusing on the negative aspects of their lives.

Built for Expansion

In 2001, this facility was built for the future. The core utilities were designed for an inmate capacity of 200, even though the facility opened with a capacity of just 80 beds. The facility has state-of-the-art laundry, kitchen, maintenance, recreation, health care and video court operations. Kitchen staff has achieved a highly competitive rate of 91 cents per meal served within the facility, while maintaining national standards for kitchen facilities in detention centers.

2010 Expansion

In response to an increasing inmate population, the Detention Center was expanded in 2010 with the addition of 146 beds, which increased the inmate capacity to 218. The expansion included the addition of four distinct housing areas, one for men, one for women, and an Alternative Sentencing Unit with two dormitory style housing areas, one for men and one for women. With these additions, the former Women's Pod will be utilized as a flexible housing pod in order to meet the Detention Center's needs at any given time. This additional housing has not yet been used because the Detention Center's average daily population dropped significantly after construction started and the need for additional staff to operate the new housing areas has not been necessary. In the meantime, these new housing areas have been used repeatedly by several agencies for training purposes.

New Men's Housing Pod

The new Men's Pod holds 58 inmates in a variety of inmate classifications. The mezzanine level holds 24 inmates in cells similar to those in General Population housing. The lower level holds another 24 inmates in cells and sub-dayrooms similar to those in the Special Management Unit. 10 inmates classified as inmate workers are housed in a dormitory style room with their own television, collect telephones, dayroom and bunk beds.

New Women's Housing Pod

The new Women's Pod is very similar in design as the new Men's Pod, but is slightly smaller, holding only 40 inmates. The mezzanine level holds 20 inmates in cells similar to those in General Population housing. The lower level holds another 20 inmates in cells and sub-dayrooms similar to those found in the Special Management Unit. The new Women's Pod does not have separate housing for female inmate workers.

Alternative Sentencing Unit

Judges in the 17th Judicial District have been asking for the Detention Center to develop the capability to house inmates that receive alternative sentences, such as weekends and work release. With the addition of the Alternative Sentencing Unit, the Detention Center will be able to accommodate that type of sentence for 26 men and 14 women. These inmates will check in at the Alternative Sentencing Unit's front desk, proceed to their locker room (where they'll change into facility issued uniforms), and then go into their housing area. The process is reversed when the inmate is released for the day or work week.

Employee Amenities

Attention to detail with regards to employee areas was not overlooked. Facility planners went to great lengths to ensure that officers and support personnel enjoyed such amenities as break rooms, fitness center, and locker rooms.